News Details

FPD Arrests Gang Member for Attempted Murder

On Monday, February 27, 2017 at approximately 8:38 PM, Fullerton Police Officers were dispatched to the area of Gilbert and Valencia regarding a disturbance involving numerous reported gang members. The callers indicated that those involved in the altercation possessed various types of weapons including a taser and handguns, and callers reported that there were numerous shots fired.

FPD Officers arrived within four minutes of the original call and they detained a large group ...of individuals. No victims and no weapons were located at that time.

The following morning, a gunshot victim was located at a local emergency room. The victim, a 16-year-old male, admitted that he had been shot the previous evening during the altercation at Gilbert and Valencia. The victim suffered non-life threatening injuries.

After conducting numerous interviews and follow up investigations, Investigators identified Michael Benavidez (27, Hawaiian Gardens) as the suspect believed to be responsible for the shooting. Benavidez, who was also a Parolee at Large wanted by the CDCR for Parole Violations, was known to frequent the Hawaiian Gardens area.

Fullerton PD Investigators located Benavidez in the Hawaiian Gardens area yesterday afternoon. Benavidez was taken into custody after a short foot pursuit. A search warrant was served at his residence in connection with the shooting that occurred on February 27, 2017.

Benavidez was booked at the Fullerton City Jail for Attempted Murder. He was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine for sale at the time of his arrest.

The Fullerton Police Department would like to thank the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (Lakewood Station) for their assistance throughout this investigation.

This investigation is on-going. The Fullerton Police Department encourages anyone with information about this shooting to contact FPD School Resource Officer J. Paez at (714) 773-5703. Those wishing to provide information anonymously can do so by calling Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS, or by visiting their website at www.occrimestoppers.org.